Twenty balloons tied to
a Newtown, Connecticut
mailbox in memory of
the schoolchildren slain
on December 14th, 2012.

Our hearts are forever with the angels of
Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Following the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut, Knights are reminded that there is nothing more important than love for each other and love for ourselves.

Courtney Eathorne

Editor in Chief

The original intent of this holiday edition of Knight Life was one of light cheer. Its entirety was to be received with minimal bearing. However, terribly unfortunately, I pen with a heavier
purpose. The heart of America was violently broken Friday morning when tragedy visited Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. There are no words to place upon what
happened that morning, and this must not be seen as an attempt to do so. But inhumanity of this caliber cannot be ignored.
When word of the horror in Connecticut reached my corner of the world on Friday afternoon I was physically compromised. I got sick to stomach. My entire body shook with cries of an
emotion I could not identify. Why was this happening? What had come over me? Here I stood, a thousand miles from Newtown, completely taken down by the propensity of its tragedy.
I was taken aback by how strongly I felt the pain of strangers, even though I had heard this sort of news before. I was in first grade when terror attacked America in September of 2001. I
remember my teacher, my hero, carrying out a normal day of reading, writing and first grade fun, and little else of the tragedy. First grade has no space for tragedy; yet here we are, a decade
later, and all bets of allowed evil are off.
What happened Friday is not solely Newtown’s tragedy. That senseless morning belongs to all of America, and most importantly to 21st century youth. This was a perpetrator of our
generation acting unto others of our own. Although we more easily identify with the young victims of this tragedy, we are closer in age to its villian. What terrifies me the most is the small
amount of time lapsed between this killer’s own first grade days and his path of destruction. Was he not born an angel just like each of the ones he took from us? Why did his blood turn so
cold? And how can we prevent this from happening again?
Although our generation has seen a great deal of tragedy in our very few years, with 9/11 and more recent tragedies in Tuscon, Arizona and Aurora, Colorado, school violence is different;
it can never be considered a wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time situation. Attending school each day is not a highly questioned action. We cannot grow numb to violence simply because we
believe we were raised by it. In doing so, we are hurting each other and we’re hurting ourselves.
This issue of Knight Life is meant to encompass what being in high school in 2012 should be about: you. We want to celebrate how important and special you are. These senseless acts of
our generation do not define us and with your help, they will be erased from our generation’s legacy. The best way to do so is to focus on all the wonderful things you are.
Our paper hopes to give you a voice and recognize your achievements. We hope to provide an escape, if only temporary, from the sometimes very cruel world in which we live. We hope
to shed light on your fears and show you the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Most importantly, we remind you that you are not alone. Even if you don’t believe it, we, as a school
community, desperately need you. We need your smile. We need your opinion. We need the unique talents and interests that you bring to our Lahser family.
Family. That’s what we truly are as Knights. Through thick and thin we will always share a common home. And if you look close enough, you will always, always, always find someone
who is on your side.
This holiday season you are loved. You are an important part of the Lahser High School community and we are glad to call you one of our own. Forgive others, forgive yourself. We are
only human; we are still just kids. Take nothing for granted; and remember that the time you are given on earth is not a right, but it is the most precious gift you will ever receive.

This edition of Knight Life is dedicated to the teachers of Bloomfield Hills
and the rest of the nation. For our childhoods, we thank you.

Photo: The Chicago Tribune

You are loved.

The Art of Gift Giving
The Far-Off
Friend
For a long distance friendship,
send a dozen
Georgetown
cupcakes to show
your love!

The Significant Other
Buy your favorite guy or
gal the gift of memories
that will last a lifetime! Buy
them tickets to a concert or
musical, and treat yourself
to special date!

Malls are packed full of holiday shoppers, stores put out elaborate
displays showcasing this year’s best-selling products; it’s the most
wonderful time of the year.
For most, the holiday season serves as a joyous time during the year’s
end; but for some, the stress of finding the “perfect” gift for friends and
loved ones is a serious cause for concern.
What exactly makes the act of giving somebody a present so stressful? Is it the fear of the gift being rejected? Or is it the competition for
the most favorite gift amongst fellow gift givers?
It seems that the only sure fire way to be satisfied with your gift giving crusade is to find a gift that means as much to the gifter as it would
to the “giftee”, if you will.
But so many factors go into the thought behind a gift. If it’s for your
mother, keep in mind that this middle-aged woman might not particularly enjoy a new string bikini. And for your father, despite his greatest
efforts to be good at your latest video game, he may not consider the
latest Super Mario game a novel gift.
Just because an item looks good on display, what happens after the
gift-wrap is taken off is far more important than how expensive the latest technology was at Target. Usage is key. A gift may shock and awe
for the meantime, but what the giftee does with it after Christmas day
might deserve more consideration than most of us give credit.
And for all of you holiday stressor’s, relax. I’ve got you covered.
Here’s simple guide to gift giving for the 2012 holiday season!

The Hardmorking
Mama
Take back any of the
stress you may have put
on your mother this year
with a scalp massager,
aromatherapy candles or
her favorite scented bath
products

Replacement Sibling
Leaving a little brother
or sister at home when
go away to college?
Gift them a replacement sibling! Goldfish
are fun and affordable,
and now at Crate &
Barrel, you can buy
stackable fish hotel
suites for only $25!

The Indecisive Chick
Have a girl in your life whose heart
belongs to someone new every week?
Buy her this chalkboard necklace to
keep her jewelry current!
The Proud Grandparent
Seniors: have you decided
on plans for next year?
Give your beloved grandparent spiritwear from the
university of your choice!

by Reilly Manz

Give Dad a lunar
landing!
For only about $30,
you can lay claim
tou your own piece
of property on our
very own moon!

5.

Holiday

Michael
Bublé

“All I Want For Christmas
Is You”

M

4.

Andy Williams

“The Most Wonderful Time
of the Year”

Jose Feliciano

“Feliz Navidad”

How the Grinch
Stole Christmas

4.

c
i
us

ov
ies M
Co
n
un ow
t d

Nat King Cole
“The Christmas Song”

3.

5.

By Austin Burchill

2.

1.“White Christmas”
Bing Crosby

National Lampoon’s
Christmas Vacation

It’s A Wonderful Life

2.

3.

Home Alone

Elf

1.

Knight Life counts down our favorite holiday movies and music!

Lahscars 2012
AND the

winner is

Best Knight
Best Baron
Attached at the Hip
Faux Senior
Most Likely to Go Pro
Most Likely to Make a Million
Most Likely to Get Married
Most Likely to be in Vogue
Biggest Mooch
Most Likely to be on SNL
Most Likely to Star in Axe Commercial
Best Flow
Most likely to be Late for Class
Most Likely to Win a Grammy
Most Likely to Pull the
Science Shower

History of the islamic veil
The Niqab covers
the entire body,
head & face, but
leaves an opening for the eyes.
Most common
in the Gulf
States.

The Niqab

The Burqa is a full body
veil. Mesh is placed
over the eyes to
allow vision. Its use
was mandated by
law in Afghanistan
under the Taliban
from 1996-2001.

The Burqa

The Chador is a full
body length shawl
that is pinned/held
at the neck. Often black and
worn most
commonly in
Iran.

The chador

The Hijab
covers the
hair and
neck. It is
the most
common
of Islamic
veils.

The hijab

For centuries, Islamic women have been fighting battles of discrimation against their individual choices in free expression. The hijab,
considered by some as a symbol of oppression
for the social chastisement it attracts, is meant
to serve as a symbol of modesty and respect
for oneself. Junior Heba A-saghir explains the
beauty of the Islamic veil that is often outshadowed by society’s ignorance, “Wearing
the hijab shows modesty. It allows people to
appreciate you for your personality instead of
solely for your appearance.” What some may
not understand
is the fact that
wearing the
The hijab rephijab is, in fact,
resents who you
a choice. The
are as a person
Islamic interpreapart from your
tation of the hiappearance.
jab is in no way
perceived to
be a guide line
for
the dress code of women. It is
simply a symbol of beauty in its purest form.
Though Al-saghir has never felt the weight
of discrimination brought to light by the hijab,
she acknowledged that family and friends
have been personally impacted by it. “I’m
lucky because, in this community, we are very
diverse,” Al-saghir says. “In some communities, they look at it as a means of discrimination and a way to single certain people out.
I, however, have found my community very
accepting.”
Similar to the varying views on hijabs, many
do not realize the various fashion statements
these scarves showcase. The hijab leaves
room for individuality and self-expression
through variation in style, pattern and color. “I
use mine as an accesory. It helps me to make
a personal expression,” Al-saghir continues.
“My hijab makes me me.”
Though its true meaning is unfamiliar to
those who don’t practice the religion, many
Islamic women view it as far more than a
right of passage. (Pictured to the right, AlSaghir demonstrating the bow style hijab).



Erin Antonishen
Editor in Chief

New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve traditions world wide

In the States, New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Eve is a time to ring in the
new year with celebration and confetti. As the
ball drops and the clock
strikes twelve Americans
make a toast, reminscing
over the memories that the
past 365 days have encompassed. Whiles Americans
are
busy
concocting
hopeful resolutions for
the new coming year,
what is the rest of the
world up to?

Cubans fill giant vases with water
and slosh them out
of there windows
to wash away the
departing year.

In Chile, taking a
stroll around the
block with your
suitcase is said to
bring lots of travel in the up and
coming year.

In England, people
decorate their homes
with mistletoe twigs
to symbolize the revival of life that comes
after the Winter Solstice.

In
Spain, you eat
12 grapes, one
for each strike
of the clock at
midnight.

In Brazil people wear different
colored underwear
to symbolize hopes
for the new year.
Red bring love, yellow- money, and
fresh white underwear- peace.

On New Year’s Eve, Italians throw old belongings
out of their windows to dispose
of the problems and troubles of
the past year and make room for
the joys of the new year.

Chinese New Year starts
on the first
day of the
full moon
and ends
15 days later. These 15 days are full
of parades and decadent
cultural eats.

The Victoria and Alfred
Waterfront in Cape Town
host a massive party
every New
Year’s Eve.

In Sweden, people are
known to break dishes over
the door steps of their closets friends to bring “luck”.

In the
Philippines,
people
wear
polka dots and eat
round foods to symbolize coins and
bring prosperity in
the coming year.

Traditional New Zealanders
celebrate Matariki,
the Maori New Year.
This is a celebration
of the coming season’s crops that are
determined by the Matariki.

Erin Antonishen
Editor in Chief

GOING NUTS

Holiday Hotspots

Knight Life exposes a popular new fad among high-seeking teens with a yule-

tide twist!
Chase Smith

Staff Writer

Kids today are always looking for
a new mode to fulfill their daily requirements for stimulation. Whether its spray painting graffiti or exStaff Writer
perimenting with illegal substances,
1.Wayne County Lightfest: Features a four-mile route of more than kids will go to ridiculous lengths to
one million and more than 45 animated displays. It is the longest and largest light get the feeling that they are alive.
display in the Midwest. It is $5 per vehicle and is open now through December 31 Most teenagers horizon for the future only lies a day ahead so they
(Not Christmas day).
in the moment oblivious to the
2.Holiday Walk at Meadow Brook Hall: Go back in time and dwell
potential consequences that could
enter stories of some of the most fashionable parties in history. Sit back and relax
stumble their way.
with the roaring fires, twinkling trees, and live organ playing holiday tunes. “Puttin’
During the holiday season parents
on the Glitz” is open daily, now through December 22.
are occupied with gift gathering,
3.The Big Bright Light Show in Downtown Rochester: family plans and decorations while
Every night from 6-12pm the buildings of downtown Rochester are lit up by over 1.5 the kids are trapped inside by the
million lights.
frigid weather that lingers outside
4.Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village: On selected nights in their windows. Distracted parents
December, the village features carolers and other entertainers, period-clothed cos- and bored kids never leads to good
tumed presenters, ice-skating, Santa and live reindeer, and carriage and Model T things which is probably how the
trend of obtaining a “nutmeg” high
rides.
came about.
5.Campus Martius Park: In the center of the park stands the official
No, you didn’t misread it. A perDetroit Christmas Tree, standing 55 feet tall and lit up by over 18,000 lights. The ice son can really get high from eating
rink next to it is open daily and gives off a wonderful holiday feeling. Every Friday an excessive amount of nutmeg!
and Saturday throughout December horse and carriage rides are offered to take a ride Nutmeg is a grounded up nut most
around the town.
associated with eggnog. Due to
Metro Detroit’s greatest attractions for holiday cheer, such as the City of Birmingham Tree
Lighting, shown above.
Maddie Rohr

its unpleasant flavor, it’s usually
only found in homes around the
holiday season. This nut contains
psychedelic chemicals similar to
those found in ecstasy and LSD
and is totally legal.
Multiple grams of nutmeg are
needed in order to feel an effect.
A user won’t experience any effects of the nutmeg until nearly
6 long hours after they ingest it
which potentially makes it very
inconvenient . If enough nutmeg
is taken hallucinations, delirium,
and change of perspective can
rattle a users brain leaving them
confused and feeling psychologically different. Smaller doses
create a euphoric feeling similar
to alcohol and marijuana.
So why isn’t this taken as seriously as other grade 1 drugs?
Shouldn’t we be cracking down
on major nutmeg dealers? Well
the effects of nutmeg are so
harsh and miserable that very
few people ever try it more than
once. Just the taste alone of nutmeg can make one feel sick and

once it gets into your system
many people experience unpleasant digestive problems. Nutmeg
also causes the user to have an extremely dry mouth. If you think
it’s still worth one days misery
to experience the nutmeg high,
you’re wrong. You would also
experience feeling light headed
and lacking focus for up to a
week after ingesting it.
Just as one infers that is a bad
idea to snort glue fumes, nutmeg should also be seen as a
terrible idea. Parents should not
be overly paranoid about having
nutmeg in their house as long as
they are confident that they distilled a minimal amount of common sense into their children. As
to kids, there are many other legal ways of getting a rush during
the winter time. Snow covered
mountains provide an excellent
playground for snowboarders and
skiers. But be sure to wear a helmet or you could mess up your
head as much as you would from
eating nutmeg!

You can’t stop the beats

by dre

Sophomore Ashwin Ganesan credits award-winning graphic design inspiration to the music in his ears
Brendan Eathorne
Soph. Ashwin
Ganesan and his
beloved Beats

Staff Writer

He strolls into class silently, keeping to himself as he sets his backpack on the floor. A pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones straddle
his head, with a steady bass thump flowing out. Though many people see him cruise the halls in his bulky Beats, few really know what’s
beneath them.
“I listen to a lot of old-school rap,” says Soph. Ashwin Ganesan. “Guys like NWA and Public Enemy. I like stuff like that.”
But travel a bit deeper into the mind of Ganesan, and you will find something incredible: a creative talent for graphic design. The
sophomore was one of sixteen award winners in the 2013 North American Auto Show Poster Contest. Lahser’s own Ganesan, as well
as sophomore Micha Paulateer won cash prizes for their designs.
“It started as just an assignment for my graphic design class,” Ganesan explains. “But I got the idea to incorporate the flags of North
American countries and I ran with it.” His poster, featuring the stars and stripes, maple leaf, and golden eagle in the Auto Show logo,
won Ganesan the Best Theme Award, along with $250.
“The money is pretty cool, not to mention that I will be able to put this on a college application. I was really just surprised to win at
all.”
Look for Ganesan’s and others’ designs featured at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, January 14-27 at the Cobo
Center in downtown Detroit.
When asked what he may do with the contest money, Ganesan flashed a grin and replied.
“I don’t know, maybe spend it on some more Beats.”

December 19th, 2012. While a planet
prone to colorful imagination bends its
knees and braces for the landing of the end,
is it possible that Blue Ivy Carter, heir to
the Beyoncé and Jay-Z throne, is preparing
for her world takeover? Blue Ivy spelled
backwards, Eulb Yvi, claims the rumored
translation of Lucifer’s Daughter. As the
highly anticipated end of the world according to the Mayan calendar draws near, this
“devil child” could become the new leader
of the New World Order, or the Illuminati,
a group of world leaders, entertainers and
influential folk that will inherit the Earth
come this very Friday. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, the
Queen of England, the Pope, John Gosselin: these are only a few members of the
Illuminati that have plans to reduce the
world population from 7 billion to approximately 2 billion in just two days. The New
World Order has been an established part of
society for generations dating back to the
Free Masons of the American Revolution,
and now their time has come. The day after
tomorrow The New World Order will begin
a mass genocide at the airport in the city of
Denver, Colorado. Don’t believe me? Take
a look at the distinctly swastika-shaped
runways or the serrated-edge roof, literally

stabbing the peaceful Colorado skies. Inside
the airport things get even heebie-jeebi-er.
Murals featuring white-supremacist efforts
line the walls. One particularly frightening
display shows a giant storm-trooper slaying
a white dove, a universal sign of peace.
Another mural centers on an Aryan boy
collecting the weapons of the rest of the
world’s children. By far the most off-setting
component of the Denver Airport is the
underground system of concrete tunnels.
There is no practical use for the tunnels and
yet they still exist. These tunnels feature
a system of overhead sprinklers that have
never been filled with water and more
importantly, have no irrigation needs. It is
believed that these tunnels will become the
site of the mass population control of the
New World Order. Many big-name members of the Illuminati, such as the Queen of
England, have recently purchased property
close to the Denver site. Has the mysterious
end of the world according to the Mayans
been hiding in plain sight?
*The preceding information is only one
opinion of conspiracy and its theorist would
prefer not to be told “I told you so,” come
December 22nd, 2012.

THEORIES BEHIND THE END
OF THE WORLD
° As the Winter Solstice
occurs, our planet will
collide with Planet X.
° There will be a dramtic
shift in Earth’s magnetic poles.
° A supernova will occur
that will wipe Earth out
of the Milkway Galaxy.
° A massive seismic event
will shake civilization
to the ground.

By Michael Gawlik
Editor in Chief
McDonald’s, Burger
King, and Wendy’s are
things of the past. The
classic American burger
joint has been supplanted by a new breed of
fast food- one which favors ceramic plates over
greasy paper bags, attention to detail over speed
of delivery, and quality
over price.
Though hardly newPanera, Chipotle, and
Noodles & Company
were all founded in the
80s and early 90s- these
so called “fast casual
restaurants” have recently surged forward in their
appeal and size. Each
specializes in a type of
cuisine and offers food of
a higher caliber than traditional fast food counterparts. Though pricier
than an Arby’s or Taco
Bell, these establishments offer fresh ingredients made to order; many
of them also only buy
organic crops and holistically raised animals.
The food is varied and
is very good. Take Noodles for instance; though

it focuses primarily on a
single type of dish (funny enough, noodles) it
finds great diversity in
covering the palates of
three continents. A staple base is the only thing
that holds together an
otherwise mixed menu,
allowing the restaurant to
retain a theme while offering options for a wide
crowd.
Because of the elevated price of meals at these
restaurants as compared
to Mickey D’s, this wide
crowd is often of the
more yuppie contingent.
It’s not uncommon to see
businesspeople stopping
in for lunch or to hear
their Birmingham children claim they’ve never tasted anything better
than a bean burrito.
These eateries are
not, however, opulent or
overpriced. They provide a tasty and affordable meal which requires
the customer to sacrifice
a few dollars for superior
food. Their meteoric rise
to prominence is well deserved and each of Knight
Life’s reviewed chains is
well worth a visit.

ne
isi
Cu

Lo
go

Ea
te

The New
Fast Food

ry

Pg. 12

“Food with Integrity”; organ-

Mexican

ic and locally
grown. Gives
fair wages to

Chipotle

farmers.
Made to order;
customers can

Noodles
& Co.

Mediterranean, ask for a dish
sans topping,
Asian, and
spicier and can
American
add meat or
tofu.
Diverse choices;
menu includes

Asian

food from China,
Korea, Japan,
Thailand and

Pei Wei

Vietnam.

Made fresh

Panera
Bread

Café/
Bakery

daily; breads
and pastries
are made every morning
and coffee is
refeshed often.

Students go to Detroit’s Dakota Inn to experience
German food and culture.
By Cole Gillette
Staff Writer

Due to being half a world
apart, it seems impossible
that students in Bloomfield
Hills could experience Germany. But Lahser’s German
class had the chance to do
that. But rather than traveling 14 hours or more to experience Berlin or Munich,
students journeyed 42 minutes south to the Dakota Inn
Rathskeller in Detroit.
The Dakota Inn is the
prime restaurant for anyone
who wants to experience the
German lifestyle first hand
through food and drink. An
ownership spanning three
generations has allowed the
Inn to uphold its original
mission of bringing authentic
German culture to Metro-Detroiters. It’s the perfect place
for a German class field trip.
“The main purposes for
going are to taste authentic
German food and see the
interesting architecture and
décor of the restaurant,” says
Lahser German teacher Herr
Trottier. “Besides learning
about the food directly (rather than just through talks in
the classroom) and seeing the

architecture, I want students
to learn that the German language and culture exist outside of school.”
The trip is one that Trottier’s students have treasured
for quite a while. “This is a
field trip I have taken every
year for the past eight or nine
years,” he says.
“It was great,” comments
Sr. Roman Trotskyy. “The
food was delicious.”
He also hopes that future years will provide other
opportunities to experience
Detroit’s ample German tradition. “Next year I hope
to include a side trip to the
Highland Park Ford plant,
which is about three minutes
away from the restaurant,”
says Trottier. “The plant is
where the assembly line was
first used for automobiles. It
was also designed by Albert
Kahn, a German architect
who designed many famous
buildings in the area.”
The chance to experience
German culture certainly
extends outside of Europe.
Lahser students are lucky to
be provided with opportunities to see another society
without leaving their backyards.

A group of German students enjoy a tradiontal
meal at the Dakota Inn.

Clouds, or massive computer storage systems, are respectable but fearsome entities which should be approached with caution.
By Jazmynn Croskey
Arts Editor
You are sitting at your
computer on Amazon, ready
to purchase those Beats headphones you lusted over for
months. You wait for the perfect time to buy
them. You type
in your first
name, last name,
address, and all
the other information needed
to bring your
long awaited gift
to your doorstep. Yet, it’s
the last step that
many
people
don’t consider.
How do you pay
for those headphones? Cash
is
irrelevant;
credit card is the
best option. You
whip out the
card and start
typing in the
magical numbers. You happily click submit
order and ponder when you
can begin enjoying your gift,
when you really
should be wondering where all of your submitted information just went.
The answer is a cloud, a
collection of vast computers
spanning the size of over three
Lahsers. They contain cooling
systems that are about the size
of four field houses and can
make a room feel like an Artic
winter. While it is a relatively
secure place to store information, it is not impossible for
a skilled hacker to break into

a portion of a cloud, stealing any valuable information
stored within it such as credit
card information from online purchases. And not only
your credit card is in danger;
anything from Social Security Numbers to Facebook

careful with anything you do
online. There are easy ways to
spot if you are being scammed
into a trap you can’t escape.
Make sure that you are using
your own personal computer,
because it eliminates username and password theft when

er to surf the Internet, one can
obtain any personal information including web history is
not saved anywhere in the system. It’s safe to say that term
think before you click can
save you from not only fraud,
but also a lot money reserved

and Twitter login information
stored in the cloud can be accessed. It’s the simplest things
we do on the Internet that we
don’t realize could potentially
be our detriment.
With the chaos of the holiday season, consumers are
trying left and right to expedite the gift giving process,
whether or not they are wary
of they are truly doing. This
is the time to be exceedingly

sharing a computer with multiple people. A trusted Wi-Fi
connection is also key because
it is very easy to password
snoop onto various networks.
Plus, using someone else’s
Wi-Fi without their approval,
or leeching, is illegal in most
states. While it isn’t against
the law everywhere, do you
truly know what is on the other side of the network you are
using? Using a private brows-

for gifts instead of legal fees.
At the end of the day, the
Internet is a vast, unknown
place in which we put too
much faith. It’s always smart
to keep in your head “Where is
my information going?” and to
keep the online shopping and
Facebooking to a safe minimum.

Pg. 15

Why Lahser Should Lend a Hockey Team Gives Back During
Holiday Season
Paw
Chargers organize food drive for the
less fortunate.

Sr. Lexi Kelter’s passion and love for animals fuses with holiday spirit to make a difference this winter.

By Julia Lee
Junior Editor
During the holidays, our
pets are a part of the celebration as much as they are a part
of the family. Sr. Lexi Kelter
aims to provide for the pets
without a family to care for
them this holiday season. Lend
a Paw, a project Kelter and her
friends, Paige Sambor, Kelly
Montgomery, Jordan Segassar,
and Maddy Peters launched in
order to provide food and pet
supplies for the animal shelter, makes this seasonal celebration a little brighter for the
animals.
The project was started to
aid her participation in the National Honor Society, but Kelt-

er always had a love for animals. “I’ve always had a big
interest in animals,” she says.
“I’ve also been volunteering at
the animal shelter since eighth
grade, so I know the people
there pretty well, too.”
Through this project, students at Lahser are asked to
bring in new or gently used
blankets, rags, towels, leashes,
toys, and cat food or dog food.
All donations will proceed to
the Michigan Animal Rescue
League.
“The people at the shelter
really appreciate what we’re
doing for them,” Kelter continued, “and I know the animals there will really appreciate it too, because they need
all the supplies they can get.”

Kelter is happy to be doing
this for the animals as well as
the community, and sees the
importance of giving back to
the community. Kelter said
smiling, “For Christmas, I get
my dog toys, and I want the
animals at the shelter to enjoy
just as good of a holiday as
any other pet.”

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By Chris Garcia
Staff Writer
The Holidays are a time of
giving that bring out best in
everyone. People do all different types of services ranging
from working in a soup kitchen to simply donating money
to their church and everything
else in between.
The Bloomfield Hills Chargers is no exception to this
holiday spirit. Giving back to
the community is an important
lesson this team has come to
learn. Their goal this year is to
collect canned food for those
in need, particularly at Grace
Centers of Hope in Pontiac.
In past years, students
have piled into to the rink for

A DYNAMIC FAMILY
Sr. Jourdan Paige comes from an extensive and unique home life.
By Jordan Ricarte
Staff Writer
The weather is nippy.
Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey
and Michael Buble are on repeat while minds are tuned to
holiday spirit. As the holidays
near, it’s duty to show undying passion for each and every
single person abut whom one
cares. Jourdan Paige is someone who knows exactly that.
With an adopted family of
eight children, Christmas and
Hanukkah are celebrated with
equal enthusiasm amidst a rapid come and go atmosphere.
Ten people bring constant
traffic to the Paiges’ three-story home. “My house is always buzzing,” says Paige.
“Someone always needs to
go somewhere and it’s hard to

find a quiet place. It’s crazy,
but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The fourth out of the 8
siblings, ranging between the
ages of three and twenty-five,
Paige is always humble when
it comes to her family.
While she admits that
babysitting younger sibling
almost everyday becomes exhausting, Paige acknowledges
that in the long run, it’s rewarding to be part of such a
large, diverse family.
“We love any holiday that
celebrates the spirit and appreciation of family,” she says.
“Not much goes for granted when you’re part of a family this big. Each and every
family member plays a certain
role in the family, no matter
what their age is.”

A self-driven student,
Paige is built up and influenced by her siblings beyond
holiday celebrations. She will
be the first of eight to attend a
university and is anticipating
her future endeavors. In tandem, she is ecstatic that she
is fulfilling her role as a role
model for her younger and
older siblings. But, she isn’t
satisfied with herself yet. Not
yet decided on what she wants
to pursue in college, she plans

on enjoying the rest of her
senior year while continuing to live in one of the most
unique families imaginable.
December is a
special time of celebration with Jourdan
and the Paiges. It draws
upon the traditions and lessons of all its diverse members in order to create a beautiful and cohesive mosaic.

free give-away Chargers long
sleeve t-shirts. This year, however, the team has a vision to
collect as many cans as possible by incorporating the giveaway with the collection of
cans.
To promote the gesture of
giving, the agreement is “Give
a can, receive a t-shirt”. Students are encourage to bring
any canned or boxed food to
donate in return for a Bloomfield Chargers shirt. The hope
is to spread the holiday spirit,
and provide heart warming
satisfaction of those who donate.
Brain Keener, a Senior captain on the Chargers Hockey
Team, states “It’s a great way
to get publicity for the hock-

ey team while giving back to
those in need around the holidays.”
Indeed, the Bloomfield
Chargers are doing their part
to help the less fortunate and
make the holiday season a little bit more satisfying for giving students.